Author Archives: tensor_accesscontrol

1. Access Control in High Demand Due to End of Furlough Scheme

   3 August 2021 11:56 am Leave a Comment

   The UK Government has announced that the furlough scheme, that has been in place since March 2020, will be ending. The scheme was put in place to help companies financially throughout the Coronavirus pandemic and has been a critical lifeline for many. We look at what that means for businesses in terms of safely managing their returning workforce.

   Otherwise known as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Furlough has been gradually reduced by the Government to ease companies and employees back into full-time work. July 2021 saw the support percentage drop from 80% to 70%, while August and September will see the figure drop to 60%.

   It has been announced that the financial support scheme will come to a complete stop on 30th September 2021. This puts huge pressure on employers to not only be able to afford to pay staff wages and other expenses but to also cope with the HR matters that come with a full office.

   Access control specialists for the return of staff 

   With the majority of the country’s workforce being asked to return to the office at the end of September, it is crucial that companies are well-equipped to cope with the volume of staff they are receiving. Access Control UK provides unrivalled access control systems to better manage the security of your workplace. Our access control systems give you complete control over who is granted access in to which areas of the building at any time of the day.

   Access control solutions

   Our proximity card readers, which are controlled by contactless smart cards, are able to open doors for authorised personnel in a Covid-friendly manner while notifying you when a door has been opened and who it was that opened it. With a rise in the number of staff on-site, it is important, for safety reasons, to ensure employees are only granted access into authorised areas.

   Access Control UK also offers biometric access control. Biometric access control systems, also known as fingerprint access control, are designed to meet the requirements of those who want absolute peace of mind, certainty and the assurance that only the right people can gain access to sensitive or dangerous areas on their sites.

   Additionally, for fast, accurate and Covid-friendly access control readings, our facial recognition system offers very high matching speeds, accuracy, and level of security.

   Advanced access control software for businesses

   Along with hardware, software plays a vital role in the management of workforces. WinAC.NET is a secure software platform that can be used for any of Tensor’s Windows-based access control products. It can be used for simple door and registration point control, through to a fully computerised global networked access control system.

   If you would like further information on any of our access control solutions, or if you would like to inquire for a quote, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our sales team today who is happy to help.

2. Northiam Village Hall Reduces Heating Bills with a HeatingSave BMS

   20 July 2021 2:07 pm Leave a Comment

   Northiam Village Hall, situated in Rye in East Sussex, has seen its heating and energy bills reduced by a third thanks to HeatingSave’s building management system.

   Hosts of a variety of classes, meetings and events for the population of the village of Northiam, the Chairman of the Northiam Village Hall, Keith Whiting, along with the Treasurer of the hall, Bernard Bone, decided they wanted to upgrade their existing heating system to improve their heating and energy management, cut heating costs and reduce their carbon footprint.

   After deciding HeatingSave was the perfect choice to make this happen for them, Northiam Village Hall had the HeatingSave BMS installed in August 2020. 

   Mr Bone has since said that he is “confident we’ve saved a third on our gas bills.”

   To strengthen security at the village hall, the Chairman and Treasurer also decided to install two smart card access control readers. This grants access only to authorised personnel who help run the hall or those who have booked it out for a class, meeting or event. 

   Access control and security for village halls

   Village halls are often very busy places that can be rented or hired out for a wide range of events such as exercise classes, council meetings or birthday parties. This means that there will be a variety of people going in and out of the hall at any one time.

   It is vital for the people in charge of looking after village halls that they are aware of who is using the building at all times; for a variety of reasons. These reasons are availability of the hall as well as the safety and security of both the hall and the people using it.

   Access Control UK are specialists in supplying access control and safety solutions. Our access control systems are designed to manage this issue for you, making it easy and stress free – ensuring you are aware of who is in your building and when they are granted access to your building.

   Our door controllers and smart card readers give you full control over who is allowed access through any controlled point at any time of any day, allowing you to control locks, internal and external doors. Our smart card readers are contactless, meaning they are Covid-friendly – ensuring that your village hall users are completely safe from any unwanted diseases and can have the peace of mind that they can be safe while hiring your building out.

   In addition to the hardware that we offer, Access Control UK offers an advanced software, known as WinAC.NET. This computerised software allows users to have quick and easy access to information regarding bookings. It also allows users to control building alarms, door locks, door release buttons, CCTV cameras, along with much more – all from the comfort of their own home.

   If you would like any more information on any of our access control solutions, then please contact a member of our sales team today who will be happy to assist you. 

3. Cardiff Bay Yacht Club Have the Wind in Their Sails Following a BMS Installation

   15 July 2021 11:51 am Leave a Comment

   The Building Management System, installed by HeatingSave, has seen Cardiff Bay Yacht Club drastically save money on their gas and electricity bills. 

   Cardiff Bay Yacht Club is one of the most prestigious water sports clubs in Wales, dating back to 1932. There is a vast range of social and nautical activities that the club offers, along with various notable awards.

   In September 2020, HeatingSave successfully installed a Building Management System (BMS) at the site located on the water’s edge at Cardiff Bay. The water sports club have already seen savings on their heating and energy bills according to Roger Wallington from the club. He added that he “would have no hesitation in recommending HeatingSave to any facility or organization that runs intermittent operations.”

   Following this instalment, Cardiff Bay Yacht Club now have the ability to heat their building smartly. They are able to heat specific areas of the building at times when needed through the use of occupancy sensors, to ultimately save money and waste less energy.

   Membership access and security solutions for social clubs

   Membership driven businesses are one of the greatest beneficiaries of an access control system. It allows authorised members to have access to the areas that they need, while denying them access to unauthorised areas and rooms within the building. An access control system can work in tandem with a BMS, allowing access to rooms that have been heated for specific times of the day, while denying access to rooms that have not been heated for certain reasons.

   Cardiff Bay Yacht Club has over 1,000 registered members and is open 24/7. An access control security system can, firstly, help manage all the members by granting access when required and, secondly, boost security measures by making sure that only registered members have access to facilities.

   Access Control UK are specialists in providing access control and safety solutions in order to aid with membership management. Our door controllers and smart card readers give you full control over who is allowed access through any controlled point at any time of any day, allowing you to control locks, internal and external doors. Our smart card readers are contactless, meaning they are Covid-friendly – giving your members complete confidence in their safety while using your facilities.
   

   If you would like more information on any of our products, or if you would like a quote, then please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of our sales team today who will be happy to help.

4. Supplies For Candles Improves HR Management with Tensor Time, Attendance & Access Control Systems

   2 July 2021 10:58 am Leave a Comment

   Following a successful install, Supplies For Candles have nothing but praise for Tensor’s time, attendance and access control systems that have improved their operations.

   The South Yorkshire based company is a supplier of high-quality candle-making goods, who were searching for the most efficient method of managing their ever-growing workforce. Their Operations Manager, Shaun Greenfield, decided that Tensor would be the best system for them. With experience in access control, Shaun had reservations with the previous clocking system in place and knew that an upgrade was essential. 

   The time and attendance system, installed on 1st June 2021, includes a clocking station, alongside several all-in-one smart card readers. The attendance management software allows companies to manage employee shift patterns, visitor monitoring and access control. Mr Greenfield added that the Tensor systems are “very, very simple for our employees to use.”

   With this new instalment, Supplies For Candles now has access to a more streamlined and time-efficient management system which allows them to control who enters the building and monitor the whereabouts of their employees for a greater picture of their business operations.

   Providing unparalleled time and attendance solutions

   Ensuring that the latest security system is installed is a priority for all businesses. Allowing only authorised personnel access into the office building will improve your businesses security and allow employees to feel safe in their workplace. Throughout all office blocks, there are always certain rooms that should only be accessible to specific personnel for numerous safety reasons.

   Access Control UK are specialists in providing access control and safety solutions in order to aid your business with the management of your workforce. 

   Our systems give you full control over who is allowed access through any controlled point at any time of any day, allowing you to control locks, internal and external doors. This is all done through the use of our contactless smart card access scanners, giving you easy and COVID-friendly access control. 

   If you would like more information on any of our access control systems, or if you are interested in inquiring about a quote for your site, feel free to get in contact with a member of our sales team today.

5. £50m loan provided to support retirement living portfolio acquisition

   22 June 2021 2:38 pm Comments Off on £50m loan provided to support retirement living portfolio acquisition

   OakNorth Bank has provided a £50m loan to Brigid Investments to support the acquisition of a UK retirement living rental portfolio.

   The capital from OakNorth Bank will support the acquisition of approximately 250 newly built and fully occupied rental retirement properties operated by McCarthy Stone.

   The units, which are spread across the UK, are split into two types – Retirement Living: apartments designed specifically for over 60s with facilities such as communal lounges and guest suites that support companionship, and Retirement Living PLUS: apartments designed for over 70s that offer extra facilities, such as restaurants, on-site flexible care, and support packages to assist those who need additional help.

   The facility will also provide Brigid Investments with the opportunity to develop a scalable platform moving forward, in partnership with McCarthy Stone, resulting in a commitment to finance a further 400 rental retirement units over the next 12 months.

   Richard Williams, chief executive of Brigid Investments, said: “Retirement living is a market with high barriers to entry and strong fundamentals, underpinned by an ageing population and constrained supply.

   Damien Hughes, senior director of property finance at OakNorth Bank, added: “Richard has over 20 years of real estate, property and later living experience, following his roles as regional managing director with McCarthy Stone and as chief executive of Rangeford Retirement Living & Care.

   “With the UK retirement living market significantly undersupplied compared to other developed countries, and the demand supply imbalance expected to deepen in the medium term, it’s vital that lenders support projects of this type in the short, medium and long-term.”

   Access Control UK – Your experts in access control and safety solutions 

   Retirement homes require top-of-the-range security systems in order to keep the residents and employees safe at all times. 

   It is vital for residents to be granted access into the areas that they need, but also for them to be denied access into staff only rooms and other areas for their own safety. 

   Access Control UK are leading providers of proximity smart card and biometric access control systems and software. 

   A UK-based manufacturer, we have over 30 years of experience in designing, installing and commissioning outstanding security solutions. We take great pride in our commitment to provide the best possible customer care and adhere to the highest British and International security standards, which is why we’ve been formally accredited by several accreditation bodies (visit our Accreditations page for more information).

   Our systems give you full control over who is allowed access through any controlled point at any time of any day, placing it at the forefront of security solutions. The systems support an extensive range of physical security devices designed to restrict people or vehicles, including Locks, Internal doors, External doors, Turnstiles (Full Height, Half-height and Glass Turnstiles), Car-park and Traffic barriers. Contactless smartcards are used to operate your access control system.

   For more information on any of our products or for a quote, please get in touch with a member of our sales team today. 

6. Avacta granted EU approval for Covid-19 test

   14 June 2021 9:58 am Leave a Comment

   Listed biotechnology business Avacta Group has been granted approval to market its Covid-19 lateral flow test for professional use in the EU.

   The company has received notice of registration of its AffiDX SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test, enabling it to place the product on the market in all 27 countries of the EU for professional use. 

   It follows on from the UK approval for the test secured earlier this month (June 2021).

   Avacta, who has sites in Wetherby and Cambridge, is progressing multiple commercial opportunities with distributors and end users in Europe, with the product registration said to be the key final step towards commercialisation.

   Dr Alastair Smith, chief executive at Avacta Group, said: “We are delighted to receive confirmation of the registration of the AffiDX SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the EU. The EU is an important market for us, and the product registration is a key commercialisation milestone.

   “The results of the recent clinical evaluation of the test at a clinical site in Europe demonstrate the test has excellent sensitivity across a range of viral loads, which would be considered infectious.

   “Lateral flow tests have a crucial role to play in helping our societies and economies return to normal, and I am confident that the AffiDX test will now play a significant part in this process.”

   Access Control UK – expert suppliers of end-to-end Physical Identity and contactless biometric solutions

   Access control systems play a critical role in keeping infection rates down in the workplace. Not only this but they also only grant access to authorised members of staff into permissible areas of the site. This enhances the safety and security of the workplace, which is vital for a company such as Avacta where hygiene is the number one priority.  

   Tensor Access Control Systems offer a variety of contactless solutions that enable users to securely verify their credentials and gain access through a door without touching any surfaces. These include: 

   Tensor Proximity Card Readers: Slim, sleek and attractive, proximity smart card readers deliver multi-card format compatibility with extensive functionality. They are designed to work perfectly with Tensor contactless smartcards, meaning that users never have to touch the actual reader in order to gain access. Tensor readers are perfect for installations where aesthetics are of paramount importance, but where security is vital.

   Facial Recognition Terminals: The Facial Recognition Terminals are among the world’s most compact face recognition stations, offering very high matching speeds, accuracy, and level of security.Non-Contact Facial Recognition Access Control Technology provides a fast, highly accurate biometric solution for identifying employees and/or visitors and granting or denying them access to site.

   Tensor Mobile Self-Service Module (SSM) iOS/Android App: The “Door Status” feature implemented in the Mobile SSM App provides users with an overview of the current status of the access doors controlled by Tensor access controllers and also enables the automatic door locking or unlocking directly from the app.

   If you are interested in learning more about our range of access control systems, or are looking to upgrade your current security, please get in touch with amember of our team.

7. Upgrading Your Business Security with Post-COVID Measures

   7 June 2021 12:03 pm Leave a Comment

   We have already touched on the subject before, that access control is a must-have for the safe reopening of office post-COVID, but what systems, in particular, should you as a business be looking at installing or implementing once lockdown eases?

   Whilst cases of the Coronavirus are diminishing, the safety measures taken to protect the public have highlighted great potential for businesses to improve (and even increase) their security. From limited bodies in offices, to one way systems, to reducing interaction with handling in office premises, we’re adapting to the changing of times and seeing benefits for it.

   Contactless access and touch-free access

   Not everyone can work from home indefinitely, and it’s with this in mind touch-free access control should be at the forefront of your next security upgrade. With digital keypads locks and traditional keypad locks, the concern will always be present — they will be touched and more often than not, not wiped down after use. This could see a spread of germs, not just the virus that’s dominated headlines this past year.

   An ideal upgrade is turning to smart cards for access control; a simple swipe or tap of a card gains the holder entry without the need for additional cross-contamination. Easy to install, manage and maintain, smart cards are a smart step up in increasing your business’ security and building assurance with staff safety concerns.

   Facial recognition terminals

   You can take your access control to a further level of security with the use of facial recognition terminals. These incredibly accurate smart devices can not only grant access for users, but their technology also has the capabilities to monitor and record the user’s temperature. So, in the worst case, where a user has a temperature of concern, they can be alerted of this and denied entry.

   Additional advantages of access control systems

   Not only do these access control systems play a great part in safety for a post-COVID business, but they showcase several additional advantages to maximise productivity.

   These systems allow the user to have a database of all employees on file, and with that, give each card its own permissions — if an employee changes office, or responsibilities change, access to specific site areas can be granted or prohibited within minutes and a quick sync of systems. You now have the capability to adapt to issues in real-time at a computer rather than manually change key codes.

   The use of timed access can also be fully utilised. Due to the nature of your business or staff numbers, employees may only be granted access on-site during certain working hours, denying them entry after a specific time or days like weekends. Consider a visitor pass too, will it expire after one day regardless of authorised rooms?

   An additional security benefit of your database is the assistance where ‘clocked in’ employees can be added to a roll call. In case of emergencies or fire alarm drills, databases can easily print off a list of all present employees to ensure each employee is accounted for.

   If you are interested in learning more about our range of access control systems, or are looking to upgrade your current security, please feel free to get in touch with our team.

8. Access Control – Not Just About Security

   28 August 2019 3:39 pm Leave a Comment

   When you think of an access control system, you think of restricting or controlling people’s ability to move around your site to maintain site security.

   However, more than just site security is helped by an access control solution.

   The biggest secondary function is improving your company’s ability to provide optimum health and safety procedures for staff and visitors.

   Our access control solution combines with other systems to do this in a number of ways:

   Protection from Hazardous Areas

   Our access profiles mean that you can create group patterns to forbid access to potentially dangerous areas. For example, if you have heavy machinery on site, or areas of extreme temperature, or containing corrosive materials, the last thing that you want is a visitor stumbling into one of these rooms by accident.

   You might also find it useful to forbid automatic access to office staff, who may not understand the risks and thus may not appreciate the importance of wearing PPE even if they are only on the site for a few brief minutes. Making sure that only trained staff can open the doors to dangerous areas protects everyone.

   Fire roll-call

   When your fire alarm is triggered, our central system automatically prompts up to two printers per T8526 Controller to print a list of everyone who is registered as on-site. Your employees register themselves as on or offsite by using a time and attendance system with clocking functionality.

   Our access control system enables your chosen doors to open immediately when a fire alarm goes off, regardless of the usual access rules. This means that your employees can quickly head towards their nearest exit.

   Checking up on Lone Workers

   If you integrate our access control system with a good visitor management system, you can set up email notifications in order to prompt you to check on lone workers. This enables you to mitigate the risks involved in working alone, such as accidents or being attacked.

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   For more information about the varied functions and usages of our access control system, including smartcard and biometric access, CCTV, facial recognition and visitor management, please get in touch today.

9. 5 reasons to use an Access Control System

   24 May 2019 2:21 pm Leave a Comment

   In this day and age, it is important to have an access control system, even as a small or medium-sized business.

   Do you know who is on your premises right now? If you let a cleaner, postman or repairman in to perform their role, how can you be certain they aren’t going into unnecessary rooms and potentially causing a security breach?

   If you still use old-fashioned tools such as locks and keys as your sole method of access control, you will find these questions difficult to answer.

   Not only is this a security risk, it also potentially puts visitors and contractors at risk from a health and safety perspective.

   Here are 5 reasons why you should take the plunge and invest in our long-lasting, reliable smartcard access control system:

   1. Integrated security monitoring system

   Thanks to our powerful WinAC.NET software, basic access control can be integrated with multiple elements of site security, such as car park barriers, CCTV facial recognition and visitor management checking-in to create a smooth, seamless site transition. This means that as well as giving your site manager detailed control over which staff members can access which areas at which times of day, you can also use smartcards to monitor real-time footfall at entrances and exits.

   2. Small, long-lasting and easy to use smartcards

   Our contactless smartcards are similar in size to a credit card, so they are easy to fit in a wallet or pocket as well as common lanyard fittings. The radio-frequency technology means that you don’t need to remove them from your wallet or pocket as long as there is nothing metal in the way. The cards don’t use internal batteries and can resist temperatures extremes; theoretically they can keep going for as long as you might need them.

   3. Limits access to cardholders only

   The ‘limited by status’ facility enables you to grant or revoke access based on status requirements, such as not letting someone clock into work if they have not presented their card at the site entrance. If you have had problems with people forgetting to clock in, you can even use our Single Sign On module to stop them from logging onto their computer without first registering their presence with their smartcard. Temporary cards can be set up to be given to visitors and allow them access to pre-determined areas.

   4. Improves the visitor experience

   According to a visitor management white paper by Proxyclick, two out of every five people in the 2,000 US and UK workers surveyed claim their perception of a company or brand has been negatively affected by their experience in the corporate lobby or reception area. Giving visitors a smartcard which has been pre-assigned a set “visitor” security profile means that you can be confident they won’t accidentally wander anywhere unsuitable, and they won’t have to loiter impatiently outside of doors waiting for an employee to let them through. It also removes the need for them to record their personal details in an insecure sign-in book.

   5. Health and safety integration

   Our access control system can be linked to your existing fire alarms. Once the alarms sound, the system will print out a report of who is clocked into the building at that time. You can then create muster points, where staff can assemble and present their smartcards at a reader to register that they have safely exited. This means that you can be certain, in real-time, who has left the building in an emergency. This is particularly useful for visitors, who might otherwise be forgotten about in an emergency.

10. Time to update the way employees access your premises

    25 April 2019 4:04 pm Leave a Comment

    As you may recall from our article on the history of access control, the term access control technically still encompasses old-fashioned methods such as locks, keys and safes.

    However, most modern uses of the term refer to more sophisticated barriers, with much more high-tech ways of being opened than a mere key. The access control market is estimated to be worth around £10 billion by 2020, and is currently growing by 10% year on year.  

    The most basic type of access granting equipment is the smartcard. This has many advantages over the old-fashioned key. For example, if it is stolen, a key will open the lock that it was made to fit, unless that lock is changed. This can be expensive for affected companies. Keys can also easily be copied, meaning that every time a key leaves the premises a breach is risked.

    A smartcard’s information is much more difficult to copy. If it is reported as stolen or lost, the profile attached to that card can immediately be deleted. This means that the card no longer works to get through its assigned doors and is useless to a thief. The employee who possessed that smartcard can quickly and easily be assigned a new one. There is no need to replace any other element of the system.

    If someone does manage to obtain a card that they should not have access to (e.g. a salesperson gaining an IT card for the server room) then an uncharacteristic usage of that card may still alert the security forces.

    This is related to the other big disadvantage of a lock and key: that it does not give you much information. You may know exactly who has access to that room, but you cannot know how often it is being accessed without using another type of technology such as CCTV.

    Our real-time graphical display shows doors opening and closing as it happens, recording the information to be looked at later if necessary, and our access control profiles can be changed within a minute if any suspicious activity is noticed.

    Our access control system also include provision for an entry made under duress. A normal PIN can be programmed as a feature of a normal access permission, working in tandem with the smartcard, but there can also be a special duress code set up. When this is entered, the cardholder (and any potential threat) notice no difference in the way that the door opens for them, but it triggers a silent alarm and sends an alert to the necessary people.

    The other method by which people can use our access control system is through their personal biometrics.

    The type of biometric identification that we offer for access control is the fingerprint reader, for employers who, due to security concerns, want to be absolutely certain that the relevant person is accessing the door. The image of the fingertip pattern is converted into a code through a secure algorithm, which is then stored on a database for future comparison and authentication.

    These modern methods of access control should be the minimum used by all businesses, yet many premises still rely on lock and key. Contact us on 020 8242 9695 for more information on our products and services, or by using our contact form.